NSA Surveillance Reauthorization Stalls on Demands for New Debate

The House Republican leadership has been forced to abandon plans to reauthorize Section 702 FISA, which is soon to expire and has been used by the NSA for wholesale surveillance against the American public, because many are demanding time for debate.

Though the Section 702 reauthorization was long believed to rest on inserting something that gave the appearance of “reform” without angering the leadership by amounting to any actual reform, they appear to have been unable to thread that needle, and now it is expected that a short-term extension will be rushed through the delay expiration until January.

Congressional leaders have long expressed confidence that if they reject the reforms long enough, they will get a perfect reauthorization, since “no one” wants to see it expire. For now, it seems some are willing to let it expire, however, and that’s pushed the deadline back a bit.